


Pumpkin Family

by Snowy38



Category: Harry Styles - Fandom, Larry Stylinson - Fandom, Louis Tomlinson - Fandom, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Halloween, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-29
Updated: 2016-10-29
Packaged: 2018-08-27 19:20:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8413558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snowy38/pseuds/Snowy38
Summary: "Pumpkin family?" Louis repeated, disgusted. "You've domesticated your symbols of horror? How unorthodox.""I don't like to scare children," the lanky man defended lightly. "I'm doing a pumpkin family and I have sweets ready for trick-or-treaters."Louis snorted and rolled his eyes."I've got a Dracula costume, fake blood and a book of the hundred best ghost stories..."





	

**Author's Note:**

> I really didn't know what to call this...this THING. It came out of nowhere and I can only apologise!
> 
> Happy Halloween!!!!
> 
> Ang

 

It wasn't the best position to be in when a cute guy happened upon him.

 

Louis had so far, had a day from near hell, having to drive around every single pumpkin patch in town to try and find one big enough to make his little sister's Halloween party a roaring success.

 

He planned to carve it into a monster pumpkin eating baby pumpkins and he was sure it would terrify the bunch of eight year old girls that were due to descend upon him this weekend. He already had the mass sleep-over planned with decorations and spooky stories to tell by torchlight, all he needed was pumpkins.

 

Turned out nearly every place had sold out until he got to the place farthest across town (the posh part really) and then he'd laid eyes upon the dream giant-sized pumpkin only to find there were no barrows left so he'd legged it to grab the thing and stop anyone else getting to it but-

 

Well, lifting it and trying to carry it was probably a little bit silly. A _lot_ silly.

 

The wind had blown his fringe across his eyes and the heavy fruit was slipping down his body, pressing uncomfortably into the front of his jeans which were; by the laws of gravity, being pushed down his hips.

 

He'd seen the cute guy arrive, in an SUV of course, a big black one which he deigned to park outside the forecourt whereas the rest of society used the car-park out back and carted their wares around the building but _Rapunzel_ however, was clearly beyond such petty road laws.

 

He was tall, his legs had looked incredibly long when he'd slipped out of the equally high car. He was wearing skinny jeans and a simple grey t-shirt; sunglasses shielding his eyes. His hair must be long, too because he had it tied up in a bun and Louis had almost let the heavy pumpkin slip from his arms as his lips had parted.

 

The guy was beautiful, somehow. Almost ethereal in his graceful flow of movement; soft features and hard muscles combining to create a dangerous mixture. He seemed friendly, was smiling and chatting to the vendor while Louis stood and sweated; still struggling with his load.

 

He was just appreciating the dimples that appeared in the man's cheeks when the pumpkin wobbled; bidding for freedom.

 

"Oh-fuck!" He gasped; bending forward gratuitously to rescue the thing from hitting the ground at least; making an attempt to roll it onto his toes.

 

Of course, no such thing occurred.

 

Mister Pretty-Hair-and-Face had apparently from nowhere appeared and bent to scoop the heavy item up with not so much as an upheaval in his breathing.

 

"Whoops," he breathed; strong arms banding around the massive fruit.

 

Louis was stunned into a gaping-mouthed silence, his hand twitching to fix his fringe belatedly.

 

"Uh---thanks," he managed eventually, staring the stranger in the face.

 

He'd flipped up his dark glasses and revealed curly-lashed hazel eyes which had instantaneously cast a spell over Louis' entire being.

 

"You're welcome," the guy murmured in a low, thick voice that held a hint of posh Yorkshire accent. "Um...are you getting anything else?" He asked.

 

Louis couldn't help his splutter of laughter.

 

"We can probably leave that one by the till," Louis suggested; sauntering after Harry as he placed the mammoth pumpkin down by the desk.

 

"Will it fit in your car?" The stranger wondered, thumbing towards his SUV. "I can always drop it off in mine..."

 

Louis lifted a brow, staring at him again.

 

The guy smiled.

 

"It'd be no problem."

 

"I need to find some babies for it to eat," Louis said.

 

 _Why_ he said that, he didn't know. Just--

 

 _Eyes, for fuck's sake_. Those damn spell-binding eyes.

 

"Pardon?" The man frowned, lips turning downward.

 

Louis grinned.

 

"Baby pumpkins...for the big one to eat...it's for a party I'm organising. Well, more a --a kids sleepover, really. Nothing major. Nothing cool," he finished lamely.

 

The cute guy's eyes seemed to sparkle as he covered his smile with curled fingers.

 

"I'm looking for small pumpkins, too," the man admitted. "For my pumpkin family."

 

"Pumpkin _family_?" Louis repeated, disgusted. "You've domesticated your symbols of horror? How unorthodox."

 

"I don't like to scare children," the lanky man defended lightly. "I'm doing a pumpkin family and I have sweets ready for trick-or-treaters."

 

Louis snorted and rolled his eyes.

 

"I've got a Dracula costume, fake blood and a book of the hundred best ghost stories..."

 

"I'm Harry by the way," Harry stuck out his hand and Louis noticed how sensitive his hands looked, how delicate his wrist was with a thin red band tied around it.

 

"Louis," He returned. "Thanks for the help with the monster pumpkin..."

 

"If I knew your motives for purchasing it, I may have decided not to assist your plot of monster terror."

 

Louis laughed at that, loud like he always was.

 

"Don't tell me you don't like ghost stories?" Louis challenged, running his fingers into his fringe again to try and push it back a bit; into a semi-tidy state. He subtly tugged his jeans up his body while he was at it. Might as well try and show off his best features ( _thighs and bum_ ) on the off-chance Harry was gay, too.

 

Harry's lips twitched, as though he was about to splurge a secret.

 

"Race you to the baby pumpkins," he said instead, catching Louis off-guard as he sprinted away; heading for the small pumpkin patch.

 

//

 

Louis may be slow moving towards the miniature orange fruits that he and Harry were fighting over, but he found the best fare first; scooping up three same-sized globes with a victorious ' _ha!_ ' that had Harry poking his head up out of the straw-cushioned patch.

 

"What've you found?" He asked, smoothing the tiny flyaway hairs into his bun.

 

Louis swaggered toward him cradling the trio of gourds.

 

"Look at this lot," Louis crowed. "See, doesn't matter how fast you move, you just need the eye for-"

 

Louis was cut off by Harry's delighted gasp and then he was reducing the gap between them quickly; his big hands reaching out to cup one of the orange rounds in his palms.

 

"Louis, they're perfect!"

 

"I know," Louis smirked. "Perfect for being eaten by a monster pumpkin to be precise..."

 

Harry's smile slipped, a crease forming between his brows as his eyes flicked to Louis', as if only just realising the fruits weren't intended for him. He blinked, wide eyed at the shorter man.

 

"You're-you're really going to feed them to the big pumpkin?" He pouted.

 

Louis ignored the other man's sentimentality.

 

"Yep."

 

"But-"

 

Harry slouched a bit, huffing. "They're so _pretty_...they'd make the most beautiful triplets for my Pum-Ma and Pum-Dad," he beseeched.

 

 _Pum-Ma? Pum-Dad?_ Where did this guy come from?

 

Louis snorted. Then he watched Harry place the fruit sadly back into his arms. Harry sighed a bit.

 

"S'okay. I'll find some others, I'm sure..."

 

Louis frowned. _No_ , this wasn't happening. He was _not_ giving his beloved triplets to Harry. No way, no how. He was already on a tight deadline, already had so much to do before Friday night and-

 

And Harry's eyes weren't even hazel, he realised belatedly. They were _green_.

 

"Look," Louis began uncertainly. "Why don't _you_ take these ones?" He said.

 

 _What the hell are you doing?_ His brain screamed. His heart thumped harder to drown his brain out. _You don't even know this guy! He could be a serial pumpkin snatcher!_

Harry though, was looking at him in confusion.

 

"What?" He asked.

 

"You have them," Louis began to shuffle them to the front of his arm to signal his intention to rescind ownership. "I wanted ugly ones anyway, these ones are too nice-looking..."

 

"Louis..." Harry began quietly. "Are you sure?"

 

Louis nodded, swallowing hard. He might not find another three tiny pumpkins quite as perfect but he'd manage, somehow.

 

"I'm sure," he said anyway, sliding them into a basket Harry produced.

 

"Thank you," Harry said emphatically, offering a hesitant smile.

 

Louis shrugged bashfully.

 

"No worries, I'll keep looking," he assured.

 

Harry tilted his head.

 

"I'll help you." He stated.

 

Louis waved him off.

 

"You don't need to do that. You got what you came for..."

 

"But I want to say thank you," Harry returned, insistently following Louis back into the pile of gourds. "And I was already working out how to invite you for a Pumpkin-spiced latte without sounding stupid so..."

 

Louis paused, looking over his shoulder at Harry who was suddenly interested in a mound to his right, overturning the fruits carefully with one gentle hand, humming in consideration as he went.

 

Louis wasn't sure if that was a friendly invite or a more-than-friendly invite but he certainly wasn't going to decline it only to never find out.

 

"Might have known," Louis mused. "You're the guy that petitions Starbucks to release their fall range early aren't you?"

 

Harry snickered, covering his laughing mouth with his hand when he started to guffaw.

 

"How did you know? Did they tell on me? They promised not to!"

 

"All is fickle in the world of Holiday themed drinks providers my friend," Louis teased.

 

Harry brought a hand-sized pumpkin over for Louis' inspection and smiled at him softly.

 

"All is fair in love and war, though," he responded, handing him the fruit.

 

//

 

Louis had spent ten minutes in the men's bathroom at Starbucks trying to rescue his ungodly appearance.

 

He hadn't wanted to spend longer than ten minutes in case Harry thought he was trying to ditch him or something equally untrue.

 

Harry was, apparently, quite happily chatting to a lady sat on the table beside theirs; one who had a young girl sitting with her.

 

Louis slid into the seat beside Harry on the leather chair; preferring the soft cushion to the hard seats. He over-listened Harry's conversation while desperately fingering his fringe into what he hoped was normality instead of sweat-induced wispy birds-nestiness.

 

"...so you're going Trick or Treating?" Harry was asking the young girl- who looked to be around five years old.

 

She nodded, sucking on a straw.

 

"What are you dressing as?"

 

"Thor," she stated confidently.

 

"Thor? That's brilliant," Harry smiled.

 

"What are you dressing as?" The girl asked back.

 

Harry tapped his nose.

 

"It's a secret."

 

"You should be a Princess," she decided with a smile. "You have pretty hair."

 

Louis was nodding along beside him to that and Harry's errant elbow landed on his chest, startling the other man more than Louis.

 

"Oh, you're back," Harry said and then apologised for hitting him. He twisted to look at Louis more fully, his eyes flicking over his face and if Louis wasn't mistaken, into his wreck of hair.

 

"I'm back," Louis affirmed.

 

"You look nice." Harry said.

 

Louis arched a brow, his own gaze settling on Harry's lips. Rather kissable in Louis' opinion.

 

"That's an outright lie but I'll take it," he quipped. "How's the latte?"

 

Louis had decided on a Black Forest hot chocolate with a shot of rum while Harry embarrassingly stuck to his pumpkin flavoured coffee.

 

"It's good," Harry smiled, leaning a bit closer to Louis. "You've-can I?" He asked, his hand lifting before Louis could give consent but then Harry's fingertip delicately brushed at Louis' cheekbone. "Eyelash," Harry finished softly, his gaze still intent on Louis' face.

 

When Louis remembered how to breathe; followed shortly by remembering the power of speech, he cleared his throat.

 

"Got girl's lashes," Louis lamented, fluttering them. "So long and-"

 

"Beautiful," Harry inserted shamelessly.

 

Louis knew he couldn't be imagining Harry's blatant interest but for the life of him he couldn't work out _why_ Harry was interested in him at all.

 

"You're the Princess," Louis pursed his lips in amusement of the little girl's idea for Harry's Halloween outfit. "Think _you're_ the beautiful one," he winked, reaching for his cup to sip at the much needed alcohol-laced drink.

 

Harry leaned back a bit, a casual smile playing about his lips.

 

"I think I've always had a strong feminine side," he considered.

 

"You seem to get on well with kids, too," Louis noted.

 

Harry grinned.

 

"I'm a pre-school teacher. It's kind of my job..."

 

Louis' brows rose in surprise.

 

"That must be incredible," Louis commented. "I mean, I've got six sisters and a brother so I've grown up around kids but you get _paid_ to do it..."

 

Harry laughed lightly at the joke.

 

"What do you get paid to do?" Harry wondered.

 

"Hm?" Louis pretended not to hear, looking out of the window. "Did you see that dog go by on a skateboard?" He asked.

 

Harry didn't turn towards the window and take the bait. Louis swallowed.

 

He didn't tell people about his job anymore because he hadn't had the best of reactions. He didn't know why, it wasn't like being a model was shameful or promiscuous or even took him away from home endlessly but for some reason, it had been an issue with his previous boyfriends. And he'd very much like Harry to be  a future boyfriend so a little white lying might be necessary until Louis had worked out how to win Harry's heart.

 

Harry gracefully let the blatant lie go.

 

"Tell me about this slumber-party," Harry coaxed. "Apart from your ghost stories, what else have you got planned?"

 

Louis relaxed into his seat and regaled Harry with his layout so far.

 

//

 

It was as Louis was stealthily creeping around the costume shop picking up the accessories he needed to go with his chosen outfit that he bumbled into another shopper.

 

"Damn, sorry, I-"

 

"Louis?"

 

Louis lifted his gaze from the person's collarbones- _displayed nicely in a gaping yellow shirt_ \- and landed on their face. A beautiful face. A beautiful face Louis hadn't got out of his mind since seeing it for the first time.

 

"Harry." He said, blinking and forcing a smile as he worked his hand subtly upwards to fix his fringe. "What are you doing here?"

 

"Getting a costume," Harry answered as though that much wasn't obvious already.

 

Louis relaxed, taking a step away from Harry's smell. It was manly certainly but a little bit sweet too. Like tobacco and vanilla.

 

"Got a party to go to with the pumpkin family?" Louis enquired.

 

More out of genuine curiosity than trying to find out if Harry was single of course.

 

_Who was he trying to kid?_

 

"No I just like answering the door to the Trick or Treaters in a costume," he replied. "You'll be pleased to know the triplets are dressed and ready."

 

"Same goes for my three- happily being crunched by the big one."

 

Harry's brows lifted.

 

"You um...you-"

 

"Louis!" A loud shrill voice called out, Louis' oldest sister being on the end of it. Louis rolled his eyes. 

 

"That'll be me," he murmured, fearing Fizzy had just cut off a possible date invitation. "But why don't we-"

 

"There you are," Fizzy came around the corner and paused on seeing Louis in conversation, her eyebrows arching and lips smirking as she took Harry in. "Oh, hi." She directed at Harry. "Didn't realise Louis had made a friend..."

 

Louis glared at his sister.

 

"Thanks Fizzy, see you out front yeah?"

 

"Oh," she startled out of staring at Harry when Louis nudged her. "Yes of course. Of _course_ ," she echoed amusedly as she turned away.

 

Louis peeked at Harry who was looking at him furtively, leaning forward like he wanted to step into his space. 

 

They hadn't exchanged numbers at the coffee shop, parting with equal regret over missing that opportunity and it was happening all over again, it was awkward now, too obvious to ask.

 

But they might not see each other again and Louis _really_ wanted to see Harry again and-

 

"Harold, what's going on?" A smooth, rich male voice asked, the body it belonged to appearing and sliding an arm around Harry's shoulders.

 

Louis looked at the man now positioned behind Harry. He felt his heart swoop in sudden disappointment; the sting of mortification breaking out in a sweat over his skin which felt like it was crawling. Had his misread _all_ the signs? Had he _completely_ imagined Harry's interest?

 

"Hi," Louis greeted with a wan smile.

 

"Hi," the guy greeted, moving away from Harry when Harry elbowed him.

 

"I'm Louis..." Louis stuck his hand out politely.

 

"Nick," the guy smiled.

 

"Harry's um..."

 

"Friend," Harry stated very quickly and emphatically; earning an amused glance from Nick. "Nick is just a friend."

 

Louis' heart soared, restored with hope.

 

"Good to meet you," Louis extended. "Nice outfit," he added of the court jester costume Nick was clutching.

 

"Yeah," Nick nodded, the moment drawing into awkward territory.

 

"I guess I'll go," Louis swallowed, looking at Harry meaningfully.

 

Harry started forward, opening his mouth to call Louis to wait but the woman Louis came with called his name again and before Harry knew it, Louis was leaving with a rushed 'Gotta go,' that was nowhere near the ending he had hoped for.

 

He turned to Nick, frowning.

 

"I was trying to ask him out." He sighed.

 

Nick smiled and ruffled his hair.

 

"You'll see him again, I'm sure."

 

"But what if I don't?" Harry whined.

 

Nick arched a brow.

 

"You could always go house to house to find him," He suggested. "You know, if you had an opportunity to hide your stalkerish ways somehow..."

 

Harry's grin broke out big and bright.

 

"Nick! You're a genius!"

 

 _It was decided, then_.

 

Harry was going Trick Or Treating.

 

 

//

 

"Louis, why are you putting up a tent indoors?" Phoebe asked with a tilted head.

 

"Louis, what should we do with the spider's webs?" Daisy asked next, sitting in a mound of white spun yarn; pulling it apart messily with toffee-apple stickied fingers.

 

Louis prayed that the other girls wouldn't arrive earlier than planned otherwise he might lose his wick completely.

 

"This is the adults sleeping area," Louis explained gently. "You and the other young people will sleep on the floor," he pointed to the mish-mash of sofa cushions, fold out beds and duvets he'd arranged with pillows and cushions tossed in.

 

"Why do adults get a tent?" Phoebe wondered.

 

Louis smirked.

 

"I'm the one telling the stories and organising this thing, right?" He mused. "Therefore I get the tent."

 

"He needs it for privacy," Daisy whispered and Louis frowned at her using a word he wasn't sure she understood.

 

"You know what privacy is?" He doubted.

 

Daisy smiled sweetly.

 

"Mom told us that sometimes adults need privacy."

 

"Way to go, Mom," Louis murmured to himself. "Gold star, clever girl," he added to Daisy, ruffling her hair. "Don't you two need to get ready?" He added.

 

"Here," Phoebe thrust some fairy lights into Louis' hand. "You can put these on your little house."

 

Louis accepted the lights gratefully, fixing them into place around the tent frame and then adding his own floor mattress and duvet with pillows for the night.

 

They spent the next hour getting the two girls into matching Goth-twin outfits, welcoming their guests shortly afterwards and all hell broke loose with so many eight-year olds running around screaming; high on sugar and the excitement of Halloween. Louis regretted not taking them Trick-Or-Treating now but he'd been so worried about losing somebody else's child he had decided to keep them all locked up inside instead.

 

He'd almost been dreading the interruption of other Trick-Or-Treaters in the lead up to Halloween but by the time the first lot rang his bell, it wasn't soon enough in Louis' opinion. They were about three hours too late.

 

He ran for the door, welcoming the intervention to the madness ensuing in his apartment.

 

//

 

Louis threw open the door, fangs in place and his practised evil expression on his face.

He flapped his cloak across his chest with a flamboyant swish.

"Mau-ha-ha! Welcome to my lair, sucklings..."

" _Trick or treat!_ " Came the combined chorus back.

Louis' gaze bobbed over each child, noting their array of costumes from cute bunnies to fierce wizards. At the end of the line he startled; his gaze around the midriff of what was apparently an adult among the children. An adult dressed as a _cat_ if the curved hands perched up on their chest were anything to go by. Louis flicked his eyes upwards.

"Meow," the adult said and-

"Harry?" Louis recognised belatedly.

His hair was down in loose dark curls. He had whiskers drawn on his cheeks and a little pink nose. Propped in his hair was a band with a pair of kitty ears attached.

"Oh," Harry smiled innocently.

"Hi." Louis grinned. "Hi! I thought you were staying in?" Louis remembered from their last conversation.

"These are my cousins kids," Harry explained as Louis reached back into his hallway to fetch his sweet stash from the side table. "I said I'd tag along..."

"Oh," Louis nodded, ignoring the six pairs of eyes avidly staring at his sweet sack waiting to be dished out. "Only if, you know..." Louis cleared his throat.

It wasn't _planned_ but if it _happened_ that Harry could maybe _join_ him then...It wouldn't be _horrible_.

"Would they miss you?" Louis finally asked. Harry smiled, dimpling beautifully.

"Probably not."

Louis nodded, decided.

"Have all the sweets, I'm taking the kitten..." he pushed the sweet sack towards the tallest child and grabbed the front of Harry's costume, pulling him into the house. "Dracula has chosen his victim!" He called as he shut the door with a flourish.

He stood cramped up to Harry in the hallway; his breathing sharp. Two seconds later a high pitched cry sounded out. Harry rolled his eyes.

"I should probably explain what's going on to my cousin," he conceded.

Louis let go of him reluctantly.

"Don't be long, the ghost stories start in five minutes," Louis warned, turning towards the living room. 

Harry slid out of the front door while Louis walked away.

 

//

 

"It was a dark, cold night..."

 

Louis looked at his audience, all small people in various poses of half-fear. Blankets and duvets were curled around them to keep them warm, pillows hugged for comfort. The room was dark and candles of varying sizes flickered around the room, casting shadows among the decorations.

 

The spiders web had almost set alight at one point until Harry had reached to fetch it down from the ceiling where Louis had hung it earlier in the day. Louis had looked up to him with a thankful smile.

 

Louis' gaze slid to the end of the row of children, settling on the other adult and he couldn't help his sputter of laughter. Harry had his arms wrapped around his knees, eyes wide with fear already. He'd given his cat ears to little Sophie and his make up was smudged but he looked adorable, like a child himself. His pout didn't remove that thought from Louis' mind.

 

"Alright, Harry?" Louis checked.

 

Phoebe was beside Harry and she reached out to soothe him, rubbing his arm. Harry let his hand drop and they clasped their hands together; Harry's legs falling into a crossed position.

 

Ever since Harry had come inside, the girls had adopted Harry as one of their own; settling down instantly with their new, beloved friend once Harry had spent time with each of them topping up their make-up or feeding them devilled eggs. If Louis was a paranoid man he might think the children preferred Harry over himself as a host but he disregarded that notion because he, _Louis_ , was going to be the best Halloween host ever to exist.

 

Louis arched a brow, waiting to tell his story.

 

"Go on," Harry prompted.

 

"Right," Louis sighed. "It was a cold, dark night...and everything was still, eerily quiet and wet. It had rained hard and by night-time the smooth pavements were like huge mirrors, reflecting the bloody moon..."

 

"Is this the story about the thumping on the car-roof?" Harry whispered.

 

Louis rolled his eyes.

 

"Shush, Haz," he hissed.

 

"Sorry," He bit his lower lip, squeezing Phoebe's hand.

 

"The bloody moon only occurred one in every ten thousand years," Louis continued. "And with it there was always a marked horror. The first time the bloody moon appeared, a man went on a rampage with a scathe, killing four men, two women and six children..."

 

Nellie gasped, clutching her cushion closer.

 

"The second time, a possessed banshee took residence as a Poltergeist in a house and haunted several families over a hundred years until the spirit was exorcised..."

 

"The third time?" Harry asked, perplexed.

 

Louis smiled wickedly, the shadows cast from the candle-light flickering across his face.

 

" _Dracula_ was born," he replied.

 

One of the girls yelped and Phoebe got up to crawl over to her, cuddling her tightly.

 

"It's okay, Alicia," she whispered, stroking her hair. "It's just a story. Louis isn't really Drac-"

 

"Mua-haha!" Louis laughed loudly, standing up and flapping his cape. He bared his fangs for good effect.

 

"I am the Count Dracula re-incarnated on this night of the bloody moon!" He announced, starting off to stride about the room; frightening the jumpy eight-year olds who cowered under their blankets.

 

" Louis!" Daisy objected as Louis climbed over the sofa to pick her up, pressing a raspberry to the back of her neck as she rolled; then broke out into helpless giggles. "No, please!" She begged breathlessly as he knelt to tickle her; settling himself among the children now.

 

"What really happened with Dracula?" One shy girl asked from Louis' side.

 

Louis flicked his eyes to Harry; noting the way he'd caught up his knees again, hiding his face behind them slightly.

 

"He went to England from Transylvania to find new blood," Louis shared. "Everyone back home was sucked dry and he needed new vampires to spread the curse cast upon him."

 

"What about love?" Daisy asked.

 

"Love?" Louis queried.

 

"Yeah, didn't he want to find himself a husband or wife?"

 

Louis almost let his proud tears fall. Daisy was the _best_ , honestly. He'd taught her well in presenting the options for both gay and straight individuals.

 

"A husband I suspect," Louis selected since he was playing Dracula tonight.

 

"Definitely a husband," Harry confirmed his sexual status subtly with a smirk.

 

Louis found himself entranced by the enigmatic green of his eyes; darkened by the shadows and translucent in the candle light and something else...maybe eye-liner?

 

"He found his groom," Louis assured. "But he brought pain and suffering to many through his plight to find victims whose blood he could suck."

 

"He could fly?" Ava asked, awed.

 

Louis got up and flapped his cape; jumping back to the space in front of the group.

 

"Flew like the wind," Louis shared with a dark glint in his eye. "And swooped down on his unknowing subjects..."

 

Louis lurched towards Phoebe who squealed and kicked out at him, catching him in the face with her foot. Her heel connected with his cheekbone, sending him sideways where he stumbled until he landed in a heap.

 

"Thanks, Pheobs," Louis derided. "Way to ruin a good ghost story..."

 

Louis realised he'd fallen near Harry's feet and took the chance to nibble at his toes, grabbing his foot and biting down into them; causing Harry to shriek girlishly and jump up, dragging Louis around the floor as he grasped tightly onto Harry's ankle.

 

"Get him off me!" Harry cried, turning to try and kick Louis away but he over-balanced, falling into the fairy-lit tent with a thud.

 

Louis heard the crunch of one of the light bulbs under Harry's heavy fall and watched the flicker of the lights as they petered out.

 

"Whoops," Louis breathed, letting go of Harry's ankle quickly.

 

"There's broken glass down there!" Daisy called. "Harry, be careful!"

 

Harry rolled onto his front while Louis fetched the hand-Hoover, sucking up the remnants of the bulb glass from Harry's behind and the carpet quickly.

 

Louis turned the hand held vacuum off and idled his gaze over Harry's back. His lovely broad shoulders, lithe back and a beautiful swell of ass. He smiled to himself.

 

Harry looked over his shoulder.

 

"Can I move now?" He checked.

 

Louis giggled and leaned forward to bite hard into Harry's behind; over the soft velour of his cat-suit; surging up and sprinting away as Harry twisted to gain revenge.

 

"Hey, come back, coward!" Harry yelled as he sat up, finger-combing his hair into place as Louis dashed to the kitchen.

 

"I'll bring Mojitos!" Louis called back. "A peace offering..."

 

Harry grumbled lowly while some of the girls traipsed after Louis to see what he was doing. Daisy shuffled up behind Harry and patted his shoulder consolingly.

 

"I'll plait your hair if you like?" She offered.

 

Harry smiled, sagging his body a bit so she could reach.

 

"Thank you Daisy, that's very kind of you..."

 

"I am kind," she stated simply.

 

"Unlike your brother," Harry added softly so it held no malice.

 

"Louis is kind, too," she said.

 

"He is?" Harry doubted that claim.

 

"He rescues animals," she shared proudly. "He has some in his garden and he had some cats, too but they're upstairs because they're too small to come down..."

 

"Really?" Harry smirked, intrigued. "And where does he find these animals to rescue them?"

 

"Well-" Daisy took a deep breath to explain but then Louis was hovering in the doorway with two cocktail glasses; one in each hand and a rush of girls clinging to his cape.

 

"Dracu-Louis has made you a poisoned blood drink," Louis announced with a big smile.

 

Harry laughed, his eyes drifting half-shut at the feel of Phoebe's hands in his hair.

 

"About time, too," Harry remarked.

 

"What's going on here, then?" Louis wondered, kneeling in front of Harry to pass him his drink while the others got back into their make-shift beds obediently.

 

It was the most regimented Louis had seen them all evening.

 

"Plaiting his hair," Daisy explained as Harry smiled shyly, his dimples popping.

 

"Do I look ok?" He asked.

 

Louis flicked his gaze over the French plait being braided into the back of his hair; awed by the handsomeness of the man if truth be told. Harry was just so incredibly attractive and Louis was stunned that he was single, that he hadn't been snapped up yet.

 

"You look gorgeous," Louis complimented him truthfully. "I suspect you always do." He added ruefully.

 

Harry's eyes darted to Louis' and he stared, unspeaking, his surprise clear in those orbs. They looked at each other until a small voice spoke up.

 

"Harry are you sleeping over with us?" Ava enquired.

 

Harry's gaze dipped from Louis as Daisy finished securing Harry's plait.

 

"Uh...I should probably go home," he mumbled. "I mean, Louis doesn't know me that well and-"

 

"You can stay," Louis invited openly. He added a creepy smile. "My next victim," he licked his fangs in signal of his intentions.

 

Harry chuckled.

 

"Don't forget cats can be feisty," Harry reminded, curling his fingers into supposed clawed paws. "Meoww," he added for effect.

 

Louis arched a brow.

 

"Meow, indeed," he smirked.

 

"Please stay, Harry," Phoebe begged. "It'll be no fun without you..."

 

"Thanks!" Louis scoffed.

 

Phoebe rolled her eyes.

 

"He's new," she excused. "We know you."

 

Louis hummed, brushing his palms together.

 

"Alright you lot, why don't you settle down while Harry decides if he's joining this slumber party.

 

"I'm joining," Harry inserted then quickly, flashing Louis a grin.

 

Louis smiled back.

 

"You didn't bring any sleepwear," Louis' imagination ran wild with images of Harry sleeping naked.

 

"I'm sure you have something I can borrow," Harry threw back.

 

"You gonna curl up with the girls?" Louis wondered. "Or take my bed?"

 

Harry opened his mouth to answer but Daisy got there first.

 

"But Louis, you said that adults sleep in the _tent_ ," she stated pragmatically.

 

The breath left Louis' lungs.

 

 _Fuck_ , he _did_ say that. _Why did he say that?_ Why oh why oh wh-

 

"It's okay, I don't mind-"

 

"No, Louis said adults need privacy in the tent," she argued. "And you're an adult and you're part of the slumber party so..."

 

Daisy stared at Louis.

 

"So?" Louis barked.

 

"So, Harry goes in the tent with you. We want him here with us, don't we girls?" Daisy appealed to the living room of bodies.

 

"Yes, Daisy," they all replied, too tired to argue.

 

"Alright, fine, we're just getting into our pyjama's," Louis said before grasping Harry's wrist and pulling him through the living room and towards his bedroom at the back of the flat.

 

//

 

Harry took the flannel tartan set of pyjamas that Louis' great aunt had bought him last Christmas but he had never worn because they were two sizes too big. They fit Harry perfectly and he looked incredibly cute with his plait and soft sleep-clothes on.

 

If Louis hadn't seen the shine of attraction in his eyes he would have assumed Harry to be innocent. Harry's gaze was nestled somewhere around where Louis' jersey sleep-shorts hugged his manhood and thighs nicely. His main reason for choosing to wear them despite knowing he'd be freezing in them was to show off the goods. He'd grabbed a hoodie to pull on over the shorts and tee set and he ventured a one-sided smile at Harry as they met in the hallway; between the bathroom and Louis' room.

 

"All good?" Louis asked, blowing air up through his lips to persuade his fluffy fringe to stay back.

 

Harry nodded.

 

"Very," he confirmed, turning to head down the stairs and Louis followed slowly after him.

 

//

 

There was a lot of whisper-chat among the youngsters; some giggling and Louis turned on the torch and made ghostly 'woo' noises to settle them a bit.

 

Harry even made up a bedtime story about Gerald the lonely unicorn that had Louis' ribs aching with how funny it was.

 

They crawled into the one man tent together, Harry looping his legs up when Louis zipped it shut and now...Now Louis could feel him right there beside him, could hear him breathing and sense his gaze on him.

 

He turned his head, unable to see in the dark since he'd extinguished all the candles out of safety.

 

"Haz?" He whispered.

 

"Yeah."

 

"You awake?"

 

Harry snorted, crawling closer. He rested his ear against Louis' bicep where his arms were folded behind his head.

 

"No, I'm sleep talking," he teased.

 

"Oh, so I can say what I like and you won't remember?" Louis bargained quietly.

 

"Yeah," Harry smiled, liking the idea. He smushed his cheek into Louis arm.

 

"Are you scared?" Louis wondered.

 

Harry shrugged.

 

"Why?"

 

"Because if you were scared, you could hold my hand..." Louis suggested, his heart thundering in his chest.

 

Harry barely knew him; _he_ barely knew _Harry_ but it didn't seem that complicated. In fact it seemed really simple.

 

Louis rearranged his arm by his side, Harry's cheek nestling against his shoulder instead. He felt Harry's fingers curl through his own.

 

"I'm a bit scared," he said for good measure.

 

Louis smiled in the dark.

 

"Me too."

 

Harry kissed his shoulder and Louis didn't fall asleep for hours, the tingling effect of Harry's kiss keeping him awake.

 

//

 

"Louis...it's time to wake up!"

 

"Louis, it's breakfast!"

 

"Come on! Stop being lazy..."

 

Louis tried to kick away the insistent tugs at his legs; eventually avalanched by eight year olds who all piled onto his back.

 

"Harry's cooking breakfast!" Ava wailed. "It's getting cold!"

 

Louis twisted and sat up sharp.

 

"Harry's what?" Louis queried.

 

"Cooking breakfast," Daisy confirmed. "You should come see."

 

"I should," Louis decided, getting up and running a hand through his hair with a tired yawn. Phoebe took his hand to lead the way to the kitchen.

 

Harry was ferrying large plates to the table with a concentrated frown and if Louis had suspected he might have showered and dressed by now, his suspicion would have been wrong. Harry was still in the flannel; his hair pulled out of the plait in a crimped, flyaway mess.

 

"Lou, there you are," he greeted, laying the plates down and going back to the stove, apparently to tend to pancakes. "You sleep like the dead."

 

"Well I am a descendent of Dracula," Louis joked, earning groans from the girls who all ran to the table to sit up to eat.

 

Louis had flashbacks of the last visit from the twins where they'd emptied practically a whole carton of Cinnamon Crunch across the table and spilt about a quart of milk. He wondered how Harry applied his magic skills of obedience and yearned to pray at his altar.

 

"You didn't have to do all this," Louis moved toward the stove where Harry stood rather than the table, letting the girls take their fill first.

 

Harry turned toward him, a small smile curving his lips.

 

"Maybe I wanted to."

 

Louis edged closer, pressing into his arm a bit.

 

"Maybe you can hang around for a bit?" Louis posed.

 

Harry's smile deepened along with his dimples.

 

"Maybe..."

 

Louis grasped a handful of the tartan top, pressing his smile into Harry's arm.

 

"Maybe I'll take you for lunch," he added.

 

Harry carefully slid a pancake onto a plate at the side.

 

"Maybe I'll let you pay," Harry batted back.

 

Louis giggled, liking this game.

 

"Maybe-"

 

"Maybe we'll get the pancakes before it's lunchtime," Phoebe called precociously.

 

Harry barked out a laugh, his fringe falling forward. Louis reached up and gently tucked it back, fingering the finely zigzagged hair.

 

"I like your hair like this," he decided, sliding his hand onto Harry's back.

 

Harry took a breath and flipped his second pancake.

 

"I like _you_ ," he stated then, glancing at Louis.

 

"Will you two get a room already?" Phoebe added from the table, instigating Louis into marching over, but not before giving Harry's bum a gentle squeeze.

 

"You, young lady are entirely too rude," Louis bopped her on the nose with a finger tip. "I have no idea where you get it from..."

 

Daisy snorted.

 

"You're the sassiest of us all," she accused.

 

Louis ignored the blasphemy of his sisters and checked on the girls as Harry finished the pancakes for them. After breakfast, parents began to pick up their children and Fizzy came for Phoebe and Daisy while Harry cooked a second batch of pancakes for him and Louis to enjoy.

 

They settled on the sofa; still sleepy and cosy from the sleepover, gorging on the rich cooked batter. Louis slumped back into the cushions when he was done eating, cradling his too-full belly.

 

"Think I need a little nap before I even think about lunch," he glanced at Harry.

 

"Mmm," Harry agreed, wriggling onto his side and making room for Louis on the sofa lengthways.

 

Louis slotted in beside him, bemused at their level of comfort, already.

 

"Shush, it's just sleeping," Harry murmured as Louis gazed at him.

 

Louis nodded, settling into place.

 

 _Just sleeping._ Right.

 

//

 

Louis was being cuddled.

 

His small body was rested against Harry's bigger one; slotted between his thighs and curled up against his chest and-

 

Harry could cuddle.

 

A smile broke out of his face, unguarded. Finally, he'd found a guy who _liked_ cuddling. Possibly even _loved_ cuddling if the way Harry's arms tightened around him when he fidgeted a bit was anything to go by.

 

Louis loved cuddling, too. He rubbed his cheek against Harry's chest and breathed him in; soaking up his warmth.

 

"Are we too late for lunch?" A lazy, low-pitched voice gravelled out.

 

Louis flexed his fingers against Harry's chest.

 

"If I promise to order take-away can we stay here?"

 

Harry's snuffled laugh was accompanied by his minor re-arrangement; re-settling himself with Louis still in his arms.

 

"You make a good teddy bear," Harry said then.

 

Louis snorted.

 

"Shut up."

 

Softness brushed against his hair, then he felt it again, a gentle insistence of smooth skin. Harry was combing through his fringe with those long digits, trying to brush his hair away from his face. Louis ducked his cheek further into Harry's chest with a giggle.

 

"Stop trying to see me sleep-ugly," he complained.

 

Harry's other hand splayed over his back, running up and down.

 

"I'd like to see you no matter how you look," Harry returned.

 

And how could Louis not lift his head and look at the man who was currently acting as his mattress and duvet all in one?

 

"Happy now?" Louis rolled his eyes and pursed his lips, blowing air into his fringe again.

 

Harry nodded happily though, pushing Louis' fringe back.

 

"You look soft," Harry observed.

 

Louis smiled.

 

"I could say something crass but I'll resist."

 

Harry arched his own brow with a smirk and an _'Oh yeah?_ '. Louis laughed and tucked himself back into his curled position.

 

"Louis?"

 

"Hm?"

 

"Can we order a pizza for lunch?"

 

Louis smiled.

 

"Of course, Hazza, whatever you want."

 

Harry tightened his arms and relaxed back into sleep.

 

//

 

Louis was back at work and he was finding it hard to concentrate.

 

Harry now had his number and he hadn't used it yet and it was driving him crazy waiting for his first message to arrive.

 

They'd woken up and shared pizza and Harry had met Louis' pets, the two white rabbits and three guinea pigs and the two kittens that were kept in the spare room due to their nervous nature.

 

Louis had thought Harry might just move in at that point; he'd sat for so long cross-legged playing with the baby cats he'd almost felt guilty telling Harry he had to work.

 

Harry had asked him again what 'work' was and Louis had managed to explain it away saying he did 'this and that' and Harry hadn't questioned him further.

 

Harry had gone home in his cat suit with a blatant grin after Louis had kissed him on the cheek and Louis hadn't stopped smiling his own big smile since.

 

"Mean and moody," the Photographer reminded.

 

A cat was cradled in Louis' arms, draped across his chest while he wore a naval officer's hat and stood in front of a blackboard that said 'Cats Rock'.

 

He'd been involved in modelling for some time but he loved the animal shoots the best. He grinned at the feline and they rubbed noses.

 

"I said-"

 

Louis flicked a look at the exasperated photographer.

 

Mean and moody. _Right._

It was a long, hot shoot and Louis was grateful when it ended finally; sometime after darkness fell. He showered and curled up on the sofa in his sweat pants and a t-shirt; too tired to cook dinner.

 

His phone buzzed.

 

**Hey. It's Harry :) Hope work was ok?**

Louis smiled, the nervous butterflies in his stomach settling at the reassurance Harry still liked him enough to at least text him.

 

**_Harry who?_ **

****

**Styles. You know, from the Pumpkin patch?**

**_Don't know any Harries._ **

****

**Is this Louis?**

Louis chuckled to himself, snorting as he imagined Harry's confused expression right now. Still, he didn't want Harry to think he'd given a fake number out.

 

**_What took you so long._ **

****

**Was trying not to look too keen.**

**_Is that a problem?_ **

****

Louis pouted. Harry could be as keen as he liked and he'd happily move at his pace. He hated the idea that somebody had tried to slow Harry down, somehow That he felt uncomfortable admitting his feelings.

 

**No problem :) Would you like to come over for dinner one night?**

**_I'd love to._ **

****

**Tomorrow?**

If Louis wasn't already exhausted he would have suggested they meet _right_ _now_ but as it was, he needed sleep.

 

**_What time?_ **

 

Harry texted him back before his eyes fluttered shut.

 

//

 

Louis rapped on Harry's door at one minute to seven, the time which Harry had texted him to arrive.

 

He heard a few thuds and clangs before the door opened and Harry looked flustered; his breathing fast and his hair a tad flyaway.

 

He had on an apron and underneath it featured some dark blue skinny jeans and what looked like a classic white t-shirt. Louis wondered why then, his heart fluttered near out of his chest at the sight of the man before him.

 

He couldn't help his smile; thrusting the bunch of carnations forwards along with the wine he'd purchased.

 

"Everything ok?" He greeted.

 

Harry turned back to look into the kitchen and sighed, sagging a bit as he looked at Louis. He blinked once; his eyes travelling over Louis' outfit of jeans and a grey jumper that the sleeves were too long on.

 

He smiled hopefully, his hair styled back in a neat quiff.

 

Harry stepped towards him; placing the gifts to one side before encompassing him in a hug.

 

"Hi," he breathed.

 

Louis smelled a faint trace of smoke in his hair.

 

"Did you burn something?" He asked, gently tidying the crazier strands of his curls.

 

Harry pressed his lips together and shook his head.

 

"No...I decided to set up the grill in the yard to cook dinner on but one of the steaks fell in and-"

 

Louis squeezed his arm.

 

"Don't worry about it," he assured. "We can share the good one."

 

The tension seemed to run from Harry's body then and he melted into a smile.

 

"I guess we could do that."

 

Louis arched a brow, stepping inside, looking around. The living area was to his left; a low table set with sauce bottles and a lantern, large cushions thrown around it.

 

Harry's pumpkin family was visible in the far distance, arranged on the kitchen island and Louis couldn't help his fond smile.

 

"Looks cosy," Louis commented.

 

Harry nodded and took Louis' hand, leading him through to the rather out of control grill set up in the yard, plumes of smoke pouring from it.

 

"Whoa," He laughed. "Welcome to Harry's smokehouse!"

 

Harry pouted his lips.

 

"I'm usually a good cook. Everything went wrong tonight."

 

Louis squeezed his hand.

 

"I don't care if you burn the entire meal if I'm honest."

 

Harry looked down at him, circling so he was in front of him and no longer by his side.

 

"That's quite a claim," He challenged; angling Louis so he had his back to the counter behind him.

 

Louis smirked.

 

"True though."

 

"What would you eat then?" Harry enquired.

 

Louis slipped his free hand onto Harry's waist.

 

"Sure I could think of a few things..."

 

"Lou," Harry stepped closer, already halfway to embracing him; head lowering to brush his lips somewhere against Louis' skin.

 

Louis looked up at him, pushing onto the front of his feet because this, _this_ was surely an invitation to kiss him and if it wasn't then-

 

 _Soft_....like petals, smooth _and_ rough. How-

 

Warm. Tight. So tight.

 

Louis kissed Harry back and let himself be circled in his arms, faltering back when Harry wavered. His lower back nudged the counter but Harry's hand was there; claiming his ass-cheek and pulling him away from the offending furniture. He seemed to change his mind when Louis flicked his tongue in; pressing Louis into the counter after all, his hand trapped as it curved around his butt-cheek.

 

Oh. _Oh_.

 

Harry's arms tightened to the point Louis thought he might squeeze his lungs dry of air but then he was lifted upwards and the counter became his seat; his legs handily positioned to wrap around Harry's waist.

 

"Yeah," he murmured against Harry's lips. "Yes, Hazza..."

 

The nickname seemed to please Harry for he moaned as he deepened the kiss but Louis needed to feel him closer, as close as he could get. His fingers found the apron strings, pulling the knot undone and grasping at his butt to tug him closer.

 

He would have brazenly gone straight for Harry's jeans fly after Harry surged forwards; licking his jaw; if it weren't for the piercing alarm that began throbbing around them; loud and obnoxious.

 

"Shit!" Harry tore himself away, hands running into his hair.

 

The barbecue smoke had flushed into the kitchen and the fire alarm had been activated and he ran to fan the smoke away from it; belatedly remembering to shut the patio doors which he ran back to do while Louis just sat and-

 

 _Fuck_.

 

His jeans were already feeling snug.

 

He jumped down from the counter and shut the kitchen door to stop the smoke spreading into the house, opening a small window and grabbing a fire extinguisher to take into the yard.

 

Ten seconds later; the barbecue was as good as dead and Louis bowed his head in mourning. He heard the patio door slide open and the hairs on his arm stood up when Harry's brushed it.

 

"So I guess S'mores are out?" Harry asked lowly.

 

Louis flicked his eyes up, laughing.

 

"I think so, Hazza."

 

"I made the steak into a sandwich," he added. "If you want to come inside?"

 

Louis smiled and went inside; sitting cross-legged at the small table Harry had set. He picked up his steak and salad sandwich, adding cooked onions and sauce to his liking. He glanced at the fireplace.

 

"You know, I could cook our S'mores on there," he suggested.

 

Harry's eyes shone with something Louis couldn't decipher.

 

"That'd be cool."

 

Louis finished his food and went about making an open fire, scooting over when Harry folded down next to him; their legs crossed and knees touching.

 

"How long does it need to settle?" Harry asked.

 

Louis shrugged, poking it with an iron rod.

 

"Not sure..."

 

Harry turned a bit; splaying his legs either side of Louis' body from his sideways position.

 

"Wanna kiss till it's ready?"

 

Louis gasped in air; momentarily shocked by Harry's words until Harry kissed him; short and sweet.

 

"I can't believe you haven't ribbed me about burning dinner," Harry murmured as Louis crawled between his thighs.

 

Louis laid Harry backwards gently, straddled his thigh and leaned over him slightly. Harry smiled up at him, capturing his lip in his teeth.

 

"Told you, I'd eat charcoal for you," Louis winked.

 

Harry let out a little breath of pleased surprise as Louis laid on top of him.

 

"Oh..."

 

Louis smiled, the action crinkling the corner of his eyes and then his smile faded, his head tilting and then Harry was kissing him again; slow this time; tender and meaningful.

 

It wasn't clear how the lines blurred between the sensational kissing and something darker but by the time Louis was rubbing his hard heat against Harry's thigh he rolled himself off of Harry's body and twisted to tend to the embers of the fire; his breathing ragged and his hair mussed by Harry's fingers.

 

Fingers that had researched most of his body by now. Louis felt the heat of their passion burn his cheeks; blaming the fire in the grate to cover his school-boy arousal.

 

He was hard; painfully so and he could have easily shot in his pants from rubbing himself against Harry's delicious thigh that way. In fact Harry was tugging at the hem of his vest right now; his jumper having been discarded some time ago.

 

"Lou..."

 

"I'm making you S'mores," Louis murmured, his voice a little husky.

 

Harry huffed.

 

"Can you come here instead?"

 

Louis made the mistake of twisting slightly to look over his shoulder. Harry was sat temptingly wide-thighed behind him; one hand stroking over the very inner part of one thigh almost in comfort. Louis' eyes didn't miss the bulge in Harry's skinny jeans so close to his caress. He swallowed.

 

"Where's the marshmallows?"

 

"Louis..." Harry inched closer, his hand sliding onto Louis' small back.

 

Louis turned away, staring into the flames.

 

"Do you want to know what I do for a job?" Louis asked, avoiding the obvious; the burning, desperate heat between them that he wanted to give in to; that he wanted to release.

 

Harry's hand paused on him. He sat up a bit.

 

"Sure."

 

"I'm a model," He admitted quietly, like it was some huge secret. "Sometimes I have my picture taken with animals, sometimes with humans and sometimes I'm not wearing very much..."

 

Harry hummed.

 

"Can I see those?" He asked, sliding closer to press kisses to Louis' shoulder.

 

Louis blinked, confused.

 

"Sometimes I'm straddling guys and doing things with them that-"

 

"That _I_ want to do?" Harry guessed; his legs now surrounding Louis; his hands free to start the freedom of his undershirt.

 

Louis lifted his arms impatiently for Harry tug the thing off. If it was such a damn _thing_ for him to undress him then...

 

"Oh, wow," Harry shunted closer and Louis felt his heat press into his hip by his side. "Louis..." He begged.

 

Louis turned his head, chin down, lifting slowly with lashes flat to his cheeks. When he worked up the courage to look at him, Harry smiled; pressing a kiss to his lips shortly after.

 

"Can we kiss some more now?" He asked.

 

"Harry...this is a problem...this has been a problem for guys before, it-"

 

"It's hot," Harry assured, his hand sliding down Louis' chest over his belly and into his lap; palming over his rigid dick. Louis sucked in a  gasp.

 

It took two seconds to twist himself so that Harry could press into his smaller body; the rug their soft landing as they fell. When Harry's lips found Louis' belly he knew the end was nigh.

 

//

 

 

The S'mores were a sticky, sickeningly sweet-flavoured mess that Louis took great delight in kissing off Harry's lips as they ate them hungrily around dawn; a resurgence in their newfound passion arising.

 

They were giggly; having found renewed energy with their sugary treat and Louis loved the way Harry's face softened with his laughter; dimples grooving into his cheeks deeply and lips widening to reveal his imperfect teeth.

 

His hair had been lovingly braided down each side of his head by Louis at twilight and Louis wanted to eat Harry; never mind the S'mores.

 

"Louis!" Harry guffawed as Louis bit at his collarbones; licking away melted chocolate and mallow. "Lou!"

 

"I told you, I'm a related to Dracula," Louis smirked, licking over Harry's nipple attentively; feeling Harry squirm and then relax convulsively.

 

"Oh," Harry murmured softly, his protest weakening. " _Oh_ ," he added when Louis smeared a freshly hot melted S'more over his chest.

 

Louis bit into one half and offered the other to Harry; kneeling across his hips.

 

"Why're you King of the Castle?" Harry mumbled, nibbling at the wafer.

 

His pupils looked big in his green irises.

 

"Because it's _my_ turn to conquer _you_ ," Louis decided, leaning down to suck away some of the melted goo now on Harry's chest. He added a sweet bite to Harry's nipple.

 

He didn't stay upright for long. Harry rolled over and tumbled Louis beneath him and he went with a breathy laugh of surrender.

 

//

 

Locating the necessary ingredients for what Louis had planned was marginally difficult in someone else's kitchen.

 

Harry was- _luckily_ \- still away with the fairies deeply sleeping and Louis had found a Holiday cookbook on the side when he'd come for a glass of water.

 

Louis was willing to bet that Harry loved Pumpkin pie. He didn't know many people who _didn't_ in all fairness but what with Harry's like of the spiced pumpkin latte, Louis was confident that this was the right thing to do.

 

_To win Harry's heart._

 

He reached for the three tiny pumpkins that Harry had dressed as sleeping babies and carefully undressed them; peeling them and chopping them up for the filling. He diligently made his own pastry and even blind-baked it with the help of Harry's well-tooled kitchen.

 

He was surprised, an hour later, that Harry hadn't stirred during the whole pie-making process but now Harry's place smelled wonderful and Louis couldn't help his self-assured grin at the surprise he'd exacted.

 

He was just sliding the hot tray out of the oven when Harry finally appeared, padding heavily into the kitchen with a sleepy rub of his eyes.

 

"Hey...morning," he mumbled. "What's going on?"

 

Louis laid the baking tray down with a flourish, his smile excited. He was sure he looked a state, covered in flour and other baking remnants but this was literally the first time he'd cooked anything so complicated so he couldn't help his burst of pride.

 

"I made pumpkin pie!" Louis announced, gesturing to his achievement. "I took a punt on the fact you probably love pumpkin pie and I-"

 

"Where are my babies?" Harry cut over him, confused and a little bit ruffled; like a little bird after his first water bath.

 

Louis swallowed.

 

"Hm?"

 

"My babies," Harry walked to the counter and pointed to the pumpkin parents still arranged there.

 

Louis' smile faltered a bit. He pushed it back onto his lips.

 

"They sacrificed themselves for this delicious pie," Louis said. "Do you want tea?"

 

Harry's hand curved around the remaining 'mother' pumpkin dressed up on the table.

 

"No, I don't want tea. How could you do that, Louis? How could you kill my babies?" He asked, staring at him.

 

Louis' brows lifted, his mouth opening in parted awe. He had figured Harry was at least halfway joking to being upset about the loss of the small fruits for his creation.

 

"Well, they weren't really _alive_ ," he began, a bit breathless as a painful knot wedged into his chest.

 

Harry pinned him with a glare.

 

"You murdered them!" He accused then, pouting. "You didn't even ask me if it was okay to take them you just-" He hitched a breath. "You just _cut_ them up and-"

 

"Cooked them," Louis finished quietly, the gravity of the situation hitting him.

 

Harry's face when he had first picked up the small trio had been so reverent and enamoured, he might have known he'd over-react to something like this. But he'd wanted to impress him, had wanted to show Harry that he too, that _Louis_ could be domesticated in the way Harry obviously liked to be.

 

"Harry-" He stepped forward but Harry stepped back; stumbling a bit.

 

Louis quickly moved towards him and caught him in his arms; Harry sniffling under the veil of his messy hair.

 

"Harry," he huffed out a bemused breath; watching Harry wipe away his tears as he just held him; afraid to let go in case he ran.

 

"You should have asked," Harry repeated. "They were _mine_."

 

Louis nodded.

 

"You're right. I should have asked."

 

Harry slowly leaned into Louis' embrace, wrapping his arms around Louis' shoulders.

 

"I'm sorry, Hazza," Louis stroked a gentle hand down the back of his head, fingers tangling in his knotted curls.

 

Harry pulled away, peeking at the worktop curiously.

 

"You made it from scratch?" He asked.

 

Louis smiled lop-sidedly.

 

"Yeah."

 

Harry gave him a gentle kiss.

 

"Can I try some then?"

 

Louis' smile grew until he broke away, bounding to the counter to cut the pastry.

 

//

 

Getting everything ready on time was always a challenge. Louis was regularly booked up leading into Halloween for various modelling jobs and Harry was finishing up his school term for the break.

 

Louis would like to say it had taken some getting used to; that moving in with Harry into the nice part of town was an upheaval but the truth was, it hadn't been.

 

They'd met each others families at Christmas and moved in together at Easter. Sometimes things just _fit_.

 

"Hmmm..." Louis clutched his arm across Harry's middle, pushing his knee into the gap between his thighs.

 

It meant his manhood brushed Harry's thigh. He smiled to himself.

 

"Can we ditch Halloween this year?" Harry's voice was soft and deep as he tightened his arm around Louis' shoulders, brushing his lips into his hair.

 

"You love Halloween," Louis accused, brushing his thumb against Harry's ribs.

 

Harry reached for him with his free hand, dragging Louis on top of him and settling a hand into the small of Louis' back, digging under his t-shirt determinedly to find flesh.

 

Louis kissed him while he was getting comfy in his new position. Their lips slid together slowly with meaning behind those caresses. Something bubbled up in Louis' tummy, happy and inexplicable.

 

"Mmm," Harry's hum mirrored Louis' earlier pleasure.

 

Louis drew back, just to be able to finger Harry's long hair while it was sleep-messy. His favourite look on his boyfriend.

 

"You only want me for my body," Louis accused as Harry's hands both curved around his bottom.

 

"Hm, you're right," Harry agreed quickly although his smile was impossibly fond and dimpled. 

 

When Harry's hand fondled his behind, Louis was forced into kissing him again, those beautiful hands roaming over his back and dipping into the bottom of his spine.

 

He flexed his fingers against Harry's chest.

 

"You only keep me around as a plaything," He added with a tiny purse of his lips. "A kitten's toy..."

 

Harry arched a brow and banded his arms around Louis' middle, leaning one way and then throwing his weight the other way to turn them both, resulting in him landing on top of the smaller man and quickly taking ownership of his lips. He ignored Louis' squeak of objection and felt him relax underneath him.

 

"Ogre," Louis breathed when Harry pulled back for a second to gain oxygen, to take the proper amount of time to stare at his beau.

 

"I love you." Harry said.

 

And it hadn't been said before. It had been _felt,_ it had been _demonstrated_ but it hadn't been vocalised.

 

Louis' legs twisted around his, his mouth was open in trying to take in air. His eyes were wide open blinking over sleep-soft blue orbs. Harry wondered if Louis was really as surprised as he looked. He leaned down to kiss him tenderly on the lips.

 

"I love you, Louis," he repeated softly, smiling and rubbing his cheek into Louis' shoulder with a happy sigh.

 

"I love you too," came Louis' response finally, making Harry chuckle.

 

He moved to kiss him again; both of them working into a better position where they could be oh-so-close and locked together; tightly entwined.

 

"Does this mean we can ditch Halloween?" Harry enquired much later, sated in Louis' arms.

 

Louis laughed, a hand tracing down Harry's naked spine.

 

"We've got both our families coming, I don't think ditching is an option," he lamented but he stretched his neck to press a placating kiss into Harry's hair. "Just know that I love you for doing this."

 

Harry looked up, an offended pout on his face.

 

"I love your siblings, Louis. Every single one of them. I'd cook for three days if I had to."

 

Louis smirked, thinking of the preparation they had already undertaken which included Louis baking and freezing his legendary pumpkin pie.

 

"Think we already did..."

 

"What time are they coming?" He wondered, lazily kissing over Louis' chest with soft 'love you's'.

 

"Couple of hours?" Louis guessed. "Told them midday like your lot."

 

Harry smiled against his skin, nosing into his jaw.

 

"Let's kiss each other stupid in the shower?" He suggested, voice still sticky with sleep.

 

Louis couldn't argue with that suggestion really. It wasn't his fault then that they stumbled about the kitchen two hours later; badly hidden grins on their faces and long pauses to stare off into an imaginary world that no-one else could see which featured Louis and Harry entwined in the shower, hot, hard and ultimately satisfied as they'd brought each other off.

 

The flush high on Louis' cheeks and Harry's disgustingly profound dimples may have told the story for them, though.


End file.
